Hi all. My name is Ryan, I'll be 23 on Tuesday. I've been a Mazda enthusiast all my life thanks to my dad being a Mazda Master Tech since before my time. I'm living the Mazda life...I work for a Mazda dealership as a detailer, my only place of employment ever and I've been there for over 5 and a half years now. I sold new Mazdas back in the summer of '07, got out of it for school, and that seems to be one of my bigger mistakes...

Now then...my purpose on this forum is...I have that itch again. No, medicine won't help. lol I'm looking for yet another project to start...and after my best friend bough a '82 Civic, and then a '78 Accord(the blue one that was listed here, matter of fact), I want something historic.

Being a Mazda guy...it HAS to be a Mazda. I've done some research and would really want a Mazda 1800...or a 1200...but really would be fine with anything Mazda pre-'79. No GLCs though...then comes the particulars. Part of me wants something I can restore and make original and nice...but the other part of me would want to make it semi quick or mechanically modern, and I've wanted to own a rotary too. I've also always wanted to import a car...and being over 25 years old, the cars I'm looking at would be easier to import...but there's added expense...
Too many choices, too few of cars, and etc.

So now I'm just searching eBay, Craigslist, and lurking this forum to see if I can snag a deal. I'm thinking of selling my 323 whenever I find an old Mazda, and would even trade for one if I found "the right car".

Also, my brother has a few FB RX-7s as well as 2 626 Coupes...1 is a parts car and the other is his long term project '79. Back in the mid '90s my dad had a '84 RX-7 GSL-SE...fond memories of that car.

So that's about it. You guys have some really NICE cars, and I'm definitely jealous.

That 94 Protege is sweet!!!! where did you find the bumper,and panel between the taillights that moves the tag down? I have never seen that setup on a US spec car.

78 SA22C74 PA136Soon to be 74 LA23S

The front bumper is from a '90-'91 Familia...few different trim levels. Got that from a junkyard in Japan as part of a shipping container group buy on ClubProtege.com. The rear bumper I bought through CorkSport from Mazda of Europe, brand new, also a '90-'91 spec that is a match for my front. CorkSport carries the newer rear bumper on thier site but was able to get me this one. Had it painted by a friend. The rear garnish I got from a contact I have in New Zealand. It is a '92-'94 piece. I very well could be the only one with the combo in North America, who knows. I'm definitely the only BP-T running around in the St. Louis area. Needs a bigger turbo...that'll be next year. hehe

Compare the side profiles, this is with the North American bumpers:
And now:
Makes the car half a foot shorter and 50+ lbs lighter. Will be totaled if I hit something or get hit...but you only live once.

I however am looking for more of a project...a long term project, and something a little less expensive.

An 1800 would be ideal...the car is freggin' beautiful. That '68 1500SS in the classifieds is tempting but I can't bring myself to spend that kind of money on a car and then have to ship it here. It would be great though. :/

I need a rotary car to round out my collection. Might aswell be a historic rotary...

Welcome aboard fellow Mazda nut

and a commercial Mazda, and a old school coupe, and then one of each colour!! etc etc

_________________Too many Mazda's in the collection. 4 Mitsubishi's, 6 Toyota's and now 3 Datsun's as well.
Putting together a Mazda/Japanese motor museum. New bigger venue for the museum has been bought, watch this space!